Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-20
LIKE A FLOCK OF SHEEP.
THE TRICK sY WHICH A CROWD
WE'RE GATHERED TOGETHER,
A Knot Of Garers at = Show window.
Just for Fu"''-LookinE IntentIy Into
. Sewer. Ridiculous Rexult-Hu,pxu
Wenkness.


'ntentiy hut
Sewer Ridiculous Results-Hums
Weakness.
|
| queer II Is that human beings, lik
sheep, OFTEN bear Out the saying Of "Fol
low The leader" This thought came (.
me few days since while watching a ties
made 10y friend Of mine. Happening {,
meet young man whom had not seer
In long while, 1 stopped TO greet hin
and indulge in a short conversation
While we were talking a man walked VI
to show window near by, and in Il mo.
ment was joined 10y several others. In q
short time the entire window was sur.
rounded by anxious gaZers, and AS there
WAS nothing out Of common Oh exhibition,
both myself and my friend We're amused
at the action Of the crowd.
Turning 10 me my friend said: 1T does
seem odd that people can he attracted 50
easily, but l assure You that can give
you even better illustration than the
one we have just witnessed There is
nothing At all the matter with the sewer
inlet over at the corner, yet if | 20 over
and look into II intently it will be only a
little while before l attract crowd. Now,
just for the fun OF the thing I'm going
over and look into II, and l want You TO
stand here and watch the people" Ac-
cordingly he walked over To the opposite
corner. and standing in the street bent
down and looked into the sewer. Scarcely
had he fixed his gaze on the inside when
a small boy who WAS passing stopped and
looked around and then stepped out into
the street and also locked into the inlet.
\ street car stopped AT the corner to let
of several passengers, and two of them
walked up 10 the inlet 10 look in. In less
than one minute by actual count ten per
sons were looking into the place, and in
two minutes the crowd had increased To
tweSty -hve people. In three minutes the
crowd WAS doubled, and after five min
utes actual time the entire corner was
crowded with pushing mass of human
ny, All eager TO look down the sewer and
ail asking questions.
Durlng TINS tiine my TREND had not ut
tered a word, but had continued to gaze
steadily into the inlet as though he had
dropped something down into its dark in
terror. Then l walked across the street
To mlnSle with the crowd and catch any
observations that might he made. A tall,
sad looking man tapped me Oh the shoul-
der and asked me what the trouble WAS
all about. l replied that l didn't know,
but scarcely had l uttered the words
when a short, fussy individual. who had
Just Joined the crowd, kindly spoke up
and informed my sad looking inquirer
that there was child in the sewer. This
quickly spread and many ex-
carnations OF pity and sympathy were
heard on all sides. Then some one con-
tradicted the rumor and said II was val
,lable uos, that had fallen into the sewer.
ms was promptly denied by heavily
built man. In his shirt sleeves, who
was sure ne had heard the baby $ Voice,
but that II must he drowned by this time,
because It was So quiet. Right here some
one else took up the conversation and
went on TO describe how careless the
mother OF child must be to allow II to
get away from her and run the risk Of
meeting with such horrible death In
the meantime a reserve officer made his
appearance and asked the cause of all the
trouble. Avery knowing young man took
the policeman aside and explained to him
that the crowd was all wrong. Then he
went on to tell the officer that the man at
The sewer had been counting roll of bills
and had accidentally dropped bill Of
arse denomination into the sewer and was
now looking down to see II he could get a
glimpse Of II.
You can readily imagine how ridiculous
his all sounded to me, and what an ef-
ort 1t required on my part to keep from
aloud. l managed to restrain
myself, however, and worked my way out
If the crowd and took up position on
he doorstep OF store near by. The
,rowd meanwhile had grown to an i'm
nense size, and several cars We're blocked
oy the people standing IN the street across
he track. In vain the drivers tried to get
he crowd to separate and allow the cars
% pass, but. as Is generally the case, the
;rowd only laughed at them, and some OF
he more Henturesome boys tried to climb
INTO the dasher OF the car to obtain a
sood view over the heads Of the persons |
front OF them Then came a regular
tream OF Questions from the crowd,
uch as, Mats the natter How |
I'D II happeh' no hurtt Nv hats
ost somebody got q MT. How |
Id he get run over" WI hat Is 1t, |
man or woman by don't the
rowd Keep back and give him some air.
TO which the following were some OF |
he answers: Don't Know, Give 1t |
lp, Cant get near to ind out, " Il
lont know, DO you think I'm diction-
Iry' and many other answers that l
ave now forgotten The policeman did
lis best 70 disperse the crowd, or at least |
ieep them BACK. but he was powerless.
lie threatened lew OF them with arrest, |
,ut ne dioht LOOK very stern, SO they |
1sked mis- anger. flndlng that he could |